


told ya

by thatemofangirl



Series: AUgust 2020 [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: AU-gust 2020, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Peter and Harley at MIT, Post-Spider-Man: Far From Home, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was a great movie, a regular one though, attempted assault via frisbee, oh my god they were roommates, post-Avengers: Endgame, thems be smart boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:48:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25663111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatemofangirl/pseuds/thatemofangirl
Summary: College.While it holds new learning opportunities, newly fleshed adulthood, and sleep deprivation, Peter was looking forward to meeting his new roommate the most.When he finds out it's Harley Keener, things turn out better than he could've hoped for.
Relationships: Harley Keener/Peter Parker
Series: AUgust 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858408
Comments: 14
Kudos: 68





	told ya

**Author's Note:**

> It is Day 2 (prompt: Collage AU, by the way) and this looks like another one getting more parts when this is over.
> 
> I probably should teach myself to reign it in, yeah? At least it's a normal length.

"May," Peter began to protest softly as his aunt peppered kisses over his cheeks and forehead, not letting go of him just yet. "May! I'll be okay! I'll be okay." He promised, pulling away from her.

Sure, going off to college was nerve wracking, but Peter believed he had gotten the most of the jitters out. Of course that would come to the test when his aunt May left, and he would be all alone, a newly 18-year-old kid left to explore college life and see if there was anything there to offer.

MIT wasn't too far from home, so that was a plus in Peter's book. He was lucky enough to get accepted. It was a big decision, going to college or not, but Peter thought with everything that's happened in the past, it might have been best if he took a break from being Spider-Man.

Besides, both May and MJ said that people were sure to find him out if Spider-Man suddenly showed up in Massachusetts, between Washington in 2016, and everything with Mysterio two years ago.

New York had enough heroes to be okay without him. The New Avengers: Carol was stopping by Earth more often, Clint had found a protégé; Kate, so he can finally retire with his family. Sam was slowly getting used to his role as Captain America and Bucky (now known as White Wolf) was by his side. Even Cassie Lang had a Pym suit of her own, training under Scott and Hope. They stopped by New York enough to have their own rooms at the Compound.

There still were the original Avengers; Bruce, Steve, Wanda, Rhodes, Thor, and Loki. Bruce was overseeing the group alongside Steve, who stopped by time from time. He still sort of was the Captain, and held some authority even if he wasn't able to actively participate in any more missions.

Peter still was young and stubborn though, so the decision was one of the hardest he's ever had to make.

May smiled as she pulled away from the hug. She had just finished helping Peter move all of his things into his dorm room, he assured her he could unpack on his own, and now the both of them were standing in front of her car. This was the final goodbye before she would start the long drive back to Queens.

"I know you will, but that doesn't stop me from missing you already!" Peter let out a groan, but didn't protest against it as she enveloped him in another hug, instead, squeezing her back and trying to memorize the feeling because it would be a while before he saw her in person again.

"That's cheesy, you know that?" Peter mumbled as he pulled back, feeling a little embarrassed when he noticed a couple of people walking past and snickering to themselves. May just gently swatted his shoulder. Lovingly, of course.

"Promise to call every day?"

"Every week?" Peter attempted.

"Text every day, call three times a week."

He sighed. "Deal."

"Wasn't gonna negotiate." Peter smiled. "And don't just come down just to do laundry, got that?"

"I know." May ruffled a hand through Peter's hair before ducking down and climbing into the drivers seat.

"I love you. Break your promises and next time I come up I'll tell your roommate as many embarrassing things as I can think of, starting with how you still like to be sung to sleep."

"I won't! I won't." Peter said quickly, his eyes widening and searching around to see if anyone heard as May just laughed in her seat. "Love you too."

She closed the car door, and Peter backed up as she put the keys into the ignition. He waved goodbye, holding tightly onto his dorm key in his hand, and waited until the car was out of view before he took a deep breath and turned toward the main part of campus, where students were walking and talking and playing games.

Deciding he would have time to explore and figure out where his classes were later, he decided to head back to the building his dorm was in. He had to unpack, and Peter wanted to be there to meet his new roommate.

That was probably one of the things he was the most excited about, as stupid of a reason that was. Most people he knew, including Ned, Betty, and MJ, said that they weren't looking forward to living with a stranger. But Peter was looking forward to the new opportunity to make a new friend.

Between school and dealing with proving to the world he _wasn't_ Spider-Man, he didn't really have time to focus on his social life. In fact, some of his relationships suffered, his and MJs being one of them. It wasn’t anything bad, they just decided that things couldn't work out between them, and they're still best friends. Well, he did make a couple new friends, Matt Murdock (who he would forever be grateful for) being one of them.

But still, a new friend was always nice. He knew it wasn't the best decision, but Peter didn't look at his roomate information that was given to him the day he got the keys. He wanted everything to be a surprise, have something to hopefully look forward too. Peter refused to believe his roommate might be someone super messy or annoying or anything else that he wouldn't be able to live with until the time came. And even then, it's already too late and he would have to live with him, wouldn't he?

Peter had tried his best to ignore his spider sense (something _he_ had decided to call it no matter how everyone else collectively agreed the 'Peter Tingle' was funnier) the past couple of months. It had been going off haywire, alerting him to the smallest of things like a crack in the sidewalk, or a bird pooping overhead. And while those are great things to avoid, it can be annoying. It's basically just hyper anxiety at this point.

But Peter was grateful for it now. If not, he would've got a Frisbee to the side of his head.

"Sorry!" Peter heard a guy shout to him as he ran past and Peter slowly stood back up, nearly dropping his keys in the process. Not in the dodge, but in the recovering.

He didn't actually think college kids played Frisbee on campus, and that it was only something in movies. Guess he was learning something new already.

Peter was following the sidewalk path across the field, and nearly made it halfway to his destination before there was another Frisbee attack.

He knew it was coming, but it hadn't happened yet. His eyes found the two people from before who were jogging around and throwing it to the other, and freezing in his spot, he traced the trajectory of the throw. He could tell right away the disc wouldn't meet it's target person. The wind picked up, lifiting the plastic, and changing the direction of the Frisbee. It would hit another unsuspecting student, clad with a bookbag on his back and carrying a large box in his hands heading toward the same dorms Peter was.

"Hey, look out!" Peter yelled before one of the Frisbee owners could. He was acting on instinct as he ran to the victim.

The longer after Peter had done it, the more embarrassing it seemed.

He was standing in front of the student, who had turned when he heard someone calling to him. Peter was standing in front of him with his arms out, trying to form some kind of shield with his body. It was very anime like. And it only got worse when after the Frisbee hit Peter's back, he opened his eyes to see the student smirking at him, clearly amused.

"I uh— sorry." Peter cleared his throat as he dropped his arms to his side, stumbling backwards. He kicked the Frisbee, and out of slight annoyance, he picked it up and threw it back at the two players before they could make their way over. "It's just— you were—"

"Always the hero, huh Spidey?"

"What?" Peter blinked before squinting against the sun.

This time, Peter focused his gaze on the boy in front of him. Immediately, he could tell he looked familiar. It took a beat, but he got where he saw him before.

"Harley?" Peter let out a laugh of disbelief. What were the chances of the both of them going to the same college? "I haven't seen you since...! Since..." he then bit his tongue. That wasn’t a memory he wanted to remember, let alone say, but Harley acknowledged the rest of the unspoken sentence with a tight lipped smile.

"Yeah. Shame I never got your number, maybe this wouldn't have been such a surprise."

"Yeah." Peter fidgeted where he stood as an awkward tension filled the silence. It was partly his fault him and Harley never kept in touch after they met that day. So much had happened, it was a lot for Peter to process, and he just went through a period of time where he just shut everyone out.

"Anyway," Peter began, bouncing on his toes. "Did you just get here?"

"Yup." Harley turned back around, guesturing with his head and giving Peter the permission to follow him if he wanted. Which was good, because Peter was going to follow him anyway. He fell in step next to him. "Gonna get settled in. You?"

"Oh, my stuff's already in my dorm. I was heading back, actually."

"Cool."

Silence again.

Peter was never the best conversationalist, always tripping over his words or scaring off people with the random facts he sometimes spouts out uncontrollably. He learned quickly to just keep his mouth shut and wait for someone else to initiate a conversation, but with Harley, that didn't seem to be the case here either.

Harley had an air of cold around him. Peter immediately got the impression that he didn't let people in too easily the day he met Harley for the first time. Peter was becoming the same way if he was being honest. He could tell Harley might have wanted Peter to talk to him, but Peter would have to be the first person to say something. A way to prove himself in a means?

If Tony Stark liked him, then there was no reason Peter shouldn't. And from that one conversation he remembered from almost two years ago, Peter had already begun to do so.

"Um, what's your major?" Peter prompted, breaking the silence. Harley looked over at him with a cocked eyebrow.

"Mechanical engineering." Harley answered. "Yours?"

"Chemical." Peter fiddled the single key on the keychain in his hand. "Engineering, I mean. Chemical engineering."

Harley hummed in what seemed to be content with his answer.

"Do you want— that looks heavy."

"I'm good." The speed in which Harley dismissed Peter's help took Peter by surprise. He felt a little uneasy until Harley laughed quietly.

Peter kept an eye out for any more Frisbee attacks, but none came. Neither did any more spider sense warnings.

As they continued to walk, talking became easier. Well, Harley made a reference to _Indiana Jones_ , which Peter connected to _Star Wars_ , and in result, sent him into a tangent of talking about how he had only seen _The Rise of Skywalker_ just recently and how much he enjoyed it.

"I...that was embarrassing." Peter said softly when he realized he had been the only one talking for the past ten minutes, smile fading from his face. He somehow missed the smile on Harley's own face and how his eyes were trained on Peter as he intently listened to every word the boy was saying.

"You're fine, man," Harley rolled his eyes before looking over at the numbers on the doors as they passed them. "Hey, this is me."

"Really?" Peter asked, his smile returning as he stared at the number before looking over at Harley struggling to get his key out of his back pocket while he continued to hold the large box.

"Yeah," He grunted out, finally getting the idea to use the wall for help.

"I'll get it!" Peter said quickly, basically launching himself at the doorknob and slotting the key into the lock.

"No way," Peter glanced back to see a grin spread across Harley's lips as he opened the door, revealing the nearly empty room other than the two beds and other basic furniture that came when he paid and the stack of boxes against the wall Peter and May had put there only a half hour ago. "You're my roomate, Parker?"

"Looks like it." Peter said, immensely happy at the thought.

"Look at that, you're full of coincidences." Harley snorted ironically. "Next, you'll be confessing your love for me."

"Um—"

"It's a joke Parker." Harley hoisted the box back into his arms as Peter just stared at his feet, walking into the dorm room, leading Harley inside. "Care which side you get?"

"Not really, no," Peter answered truthfully.

"Good." Harley dropped his box to the ground on the right side of the room with a heavy thud and then slung his backpack off and tossed it on the plain mattress. "Looks like we'll be getting to know each other a little better."

Looks like maybe Peter would get the roomate he was looking for after all.


End file.
